Driving device for miniature golf balls



Jan. 29, 1929. 1,700,589

H. J. KLUTHO DRIVING DEVICE FOR MINIATURE GOLF BALLS Filed Feb. 16, 1928 enry 1K luthO (27mins L;

H Figural 1s aside elevation illustrating one Patented Jan. 29, 1929.

UNITEDYF STATES HENRY J. KLUTHO, or aAoxsonvirnn'mnoamzi.

n uvme nEvIoE FOR Mmmw eons .IBALLS. 1

Application filed February 1e,-1 92s.-b Serial No. 254,740.

'My invention relates to a golf-club or device for driving a miniature golf ball by the use of which. a game' of golf may be playedin limitedareas indoors or outof doors and it is an object of my invention to provide a device of this character by means of which a miniature golf ball may be driven as in the usual game of golf with the player in the same position as in such game and without requiring that she get onhis knees or assume a tire some position, all as will be hereinafter def scribedand claimed. Referring to theaccompanying drawings which are made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similar application ofmy invention, v b

Figure 2, a front elevation showing the club in retracted position ready fora drive,

" Figure 3, a fragmentary side elevation of a rotary headffor holding three golf clubs, and Figure 4,]a front elevation of the rotary head of Fig. 3. i

' In the drawlngs reference character 10 indicates a handle which preferably corresponds to thehandleof an ordinary golf club butv which may be'of acheap'er construction.

To the lower portionofthe handle 10 is secured a frameconsisting of a rod or body 11 having an upper'bracket orcross arm 12 and a lower bracket 13 both of which engage the handle 10 for securing thehandle infixed reelation to the member 11. The upperbracket 1Q; is provided. with an eye or ring 14 atits outer, end through whichthe handle extends 10 and rod 11 or inparallelirelation to the person-using the club. A springfblade 19 is mounted in a longitudinal slot 20 in anadjustable arm 21,said slot being of a sizeto snugly receive the spring blade. In ordertohold the blade in positionvthe upperbracket or cross arm provided with an 1 extension which .over'lles'theslot in the. adjustable arm 21 but is of'a width'so that its edge is slightly oflfset whereby when theblade is in the slot it will be heldslightly bent to one side'andcausethe blade to be firmly held but permitting'it'to be moved freely longitudinally or pivotedfin the slot 21; The edge'of the overhanging extenr sion is slightly beveled so that it presents a flat surface 22 to the spring blade 19. To the lower end of the blade is attached; by any de slred means,fa miniature golf club 23 which may be of any desired form and which may be 1 either permanently attached to the blade or detachably connected thereto. In its natural position thejblade issuspended perpendicularly with the club supported at a slight angle for addressing the ball.

Means is pr vided for. tensioning the blade by drawing it sidewise to permit it to perform I I the drivingoperation which means comprises a rocker arm 25 supported "upon a pivot26 mountedonfthe rod 11. The rockerarm 25 is a provided, with an elongated transverse por;

tion.{27 at its free end on which are mounted afpair'of slightlyspaced parallel pins, 28

which are disposed upon opposite sides of the pnng blade 1 on the'opp'osite side of'the transverse portion27 is mounted a pin or stud a 29 towhich is attached an op'erating wire or cord 30. The operatingwire 8( has its'upper end att'ched to the lower end of a lever 31 which is mounted in a'pair of eye screws 32 spaced longitudinally of the handle 10 and piece 33, adapted to be operated for swinging the rocker arm and drawing the blade to one vside for tensioning the same whereupon it may be released'by allowing it to slip off the end having an outwardly turned portion orfinger of the-finger, for effecting the driving operation. The lever 31"is preferably provided with a curved handle engaging element which serves to maintain the lever in proper position'and alsoas a stopto limit the passage of the lever through the eye screws; The releas-v V l J ing of the finger piece snaps the blade into action and causes the miniature golf club tooo I strike the ball and send it off into flight, the force of the drive of course being determined bythe amount of the spring blade is distorted or'bent by pulling up the lever;

The blade can be easily'lowered orrais'ed,

moved sidewise, or pivoted within theslot 20 of the adjustablearm in order toreafch aball of blades will be required, however, as shown i in Figs. 3 and 4, I have provided the blade 35 with'a support 36having radial ribs 37 for cooperation with grooves 38 in a rotary head 39 carrying, for the purpose of illustration, three clubs such as for example a driving iron 43,' niblick 44 and putter 45-,

which may be brought into position by a mere rotation of the head. The support 36 and head 39 are held in resilient contact by means of a spring 40 and a bolt 41 passing through the spring and into the member36.

The rotary head is provided with sockets 42 for the reception'of the golf sticks 48, 44 and Y 45 above mentioned. a

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in my device without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I, therefore, do not limit myself to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as set forth in the appended claims;

Having thus fully. described my said invention, what'I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

. 1. A device for driving a golf ball comprising a handle,- a body fastened to said handle, a flatspring member carried by said body, a driving iron mounted on the end of said flat spring member, andmeans for drawing. saidspring member sidewise whereby the same may be released to permit it to perform the driving operation, substantially as set forth. I

2. The combination of a handle, a frame carried by said handle, a longitudinally disposed flat spring. member supported by said frame, a driving iron mounted onthe lower end of the spring member, and means for drawing the spring member sidewise so that it may be released to swing the driving iron in an are, substantially as set forth.

3. The'combination in a device for playing miniature golf, of a frame, legs at the lower end of the frame for supporting .the same, a'handle attached to the frame, a fiat spring blade disposed longitudinally of the frame, a miniature golf club carried by the lower end of the spring, a rocker arm pivoted on the frame, and a pair of pins mounted on said rocker arm and arranged on opposite sldesof the fiat spring whereby when the rocker arm is rotated it willfiex the spring sidewise so that its release will perform an operationsimilar to that of driving golf. ball, substantially as set mounted on the frame and provided with a longitudinal slot, aflat spring bladein said slot, means above the adjustable member in alignment therewith engaging the spring blade and holding the same in a slightly flexed positionQarockerarm pivoted on said frame, pins nounted in parallel relation on said rocker arm and engaging opposite sides of said spring, an operating cord connected to said rocker arm and adapted to be pulled for rotating the rocker arm onits pivot for flexing the blade and adaptedto be released for .permitting the blade to snap back into normal. position, and a miniature golf club carried at the lower free endof thespr'ng blade, substantially {as set forth.

5. The combination of a member adapted to be supported in substantially upright position,.an adjustably mounted member ,dis-

posed in substantially horizontal position and provided with a verticallongitudinally extending slot, a flat spring blade locatedin said slot, means for holding the bladefiexed out of normal position for maintainingzthe.

same in the slot, a golf club carried at the lower end of the blade, and means for pulling the spring si-dewise for permitting it to snap back into position to cause the golf club to affect a driving operation, substantially as set forth. 7

6. A device for driving a golf ball tom prising a body, a flat spring member carried by said body, a rotary head carried by said flat spring, and golf clubs carried by said rotary head and arranged to be selectivelyused ifn driving a golf ball, substantially/as set ort I 7. A devicefor use ini playing indoor 9 comprising a support, a head mounted upon said support,-a plurality of driving members carried by said head and adaptedfto be selectively brought into position to perform a driving operation, spring means tending to hold said head in a definite position, said head being adapted when moved against the action of the spring out of such .position ;to rebound and swing the respective driving member in an arc simulatingthe .driving movement of a golf club, substantially as set forth. V V

8. A device foruse in playing parlor golf comprising a support simulating a golf club, a driving member, resilient means holding saiddriving member upon thesupport, and manually operable means. extending to a position in the region of the upper end of said support for tensioning the resilient-means, whereby it may be released '111' order to 1mpart a driving movement to the driving member, substantially as set forth. T

comprising a support simulating a golf club,

- a driving member adjustably mounted upon said support whereby in its" idle position it may be disposed in'various positions relative to said support to vary the length of the the driving movement of a golf club, substan and a manipulating element having conn'ecbia, this fourteenth day of February, A. D.

stroke and the inclination of the drivitng tially as set forth. 7 member, resilient means tending to maintain Inwitness whereof, I have hereunto set 10 said driving member in adjusted position, my hand at Washington, District of Colum tion Withthe driving member whereby the v 1928. I driving member may be actuated to simulate HENRY J. KLUTHO. 

